Knockdown table



Oct-#3, 1950 J. LA R E 2,524,198

KNOCKDOWN TABLE File'a' May 3, 1946 (z 3 i754 Jay/y c142:

Patented Oct. 3, 1950 U N [T ED STATES. PATENT" OFFICE 2,524,193 KNooKnoWN T-ABLE John 0. La Rue, Bainbria aohm ApplicationMay 3.1946, Serial No. 667,175

4 Claims. 1 This invention relates to the a'rt of knockdown tables, especially picnic tables; and' is an improvement uponthe structure disclosed in my further respect that the table top may be collapsed, whentremovedvfrom- -the table, so as to serve also as a?containerfor storing the entire table structure when in knocked down condition;

More l specifically; the :object of 1 the present invention is to provide an -:improved form of frame structure to faeilitate the storaeeof the same within the collapsed-table top wh'en being used as a container for theirest of the knocke'ddown table, as above suggestedi' Another object is to devise a knockdown picnic table whiehcanbepaekiedinto such a compactspace thatit may be stored within the trunk provided upon the 1 rear of-"the average" automobile, while at tliesa me time such'knockdown table. may: be of sufficiei'it size "for practical purposes;

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims whenconsidered together with the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a. perspective view ofJmycpresent improved table Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof combination table top and container for holding the entire' table structurewhen knocked-down;

Fig; 3 is a plan view of theknocked down table in container;

Fig; 4-is anielevationof the same thingwith the bottom part of the container in section in order to show the table structure.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of 11- lustration and that there might be devised various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

The general structure of my present table is of the same character as in the other two cases above referred to. That is to say, the transverse members I may be made of metal tubing, with the inverted U-shaped portions 2 of metal tubing welded thereto. The table top 3 is adapt- Iii? 2 ed-to=b'e supported upon the members-2,and the seat boards 4% may be supported upon the end portion's'oi the' members I. Parts"! and 2" together constitutean end member.

At each endof each member ltthere is.provid-. ed a T-connectorw memberw 5 which" is screw threaded at its upper-and lower ends; The lower ends of the T members are adapted to receive the legs 6"while' the uppere ends'oftlietmembers 5 :areiadaptedto extend through corresponding apertures in the seat m-emberswflw and to'receive the-flanged screw-threadedmembers 8 for: hold ing the seat members in position;

The table top :31is in the. form of aeconvertible l conta'iner which cam be? employed for: storingithe' parts 'of the knocked downrsupportingrframe and also the seatmembers: This convertible topfand. container is made-10f duplicate parts; each. of' which has: flanges: 3a.: of] suitable depth; these 'flanges 'beingpconnected'@together byzhinges.

The; horizontal top (parts; of: the" inverted" U-- shaped portions 2 are providedtmidway"thereof with depressions r I flrrof suitable width andl' depth to accommodate the: hingedflanges 3w when this container-top 3 is arrangedin :inverted openposition toserve as awtoplforthe table, asinFig; 1. Also, the fianges fiaeare adapted tozengage the outer" ends of: the inverted Ueshaped por tions Z;

The convertible table top. and container 3 may:

be made of any suitablematerial; as for instance metalor' composition board of comparatively light weight. The supporting frame may be made of metal tubing and the seat members may be? made of 'wood; although-the present invention is not limited toxthe sele'ctioriof anyparticulari material.

The several parts of 'mypresent table structure are so designed and proportioned-that the supporting frame? and seat 'members, when in knockeddown condition; maybe all packed with J in thetcspacefi aiiorddibw the container top 3 after it has been removed from the frame structure.

In order to facilitate packing of all the several parts within the container 3 in a compact manner, I have given the sides of the inverted U-shaped portions a particular form. That is, instead of making a right angle with the transverse member I, as in the preceding companion application above referred to, I have curved the sides of the inverted U-shaped portions inwardly so as to reduce the distance therebetween, while at the same time preserving the full extent across the top of the inverted U-shaped members in each instance. Then, in storing these parts within the container 3, one of the end members is arranged in one direction, as indicated in full lines, and the other is arranged in the opposite direction, as indicated in dotted lines. In this way, there is afforded ample room for storing the legs of the T-shaped members after being removed from the transverse members i. As a result, the length of the container 3 may be less than would otherwise be possible.

In packing the several part into the container 3, one of the seat members may be placed first, then the transverse members with their inverted U-shaped portions, and the detached T-legs, and finally the other seat member may be placed upon the top of the other parts. Or, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the seat members may be placed in alternate arrangement with respect to the two sets of the transverse members and the T-shaped legs. Still another arrangement would be to make the seats sufficiently narrow to permit both of them to be placed side by side in the bottom of the container 3 and the other parts then placed thereupon in the same arrangement as above described and as indicated in the drawing. In any event, the curved sides of the inverted U-shaped members will be utilized to accommodate the legs of the T-shaped members 6.

Upon closing the container 3, with the several parts therewithin, the entire device may be stored in a comparatively small space. For instance, such a table forty-two inches square, when fully set up for use, will conveniently accommodate four people and yet can be stored within the conventional trunk of the average automobile. Furthermore, this table is so constructed that it can be handled in a very convenient manner when in knocked down condition.

This table may be made and sold at a comparatively low price so as to prove popular with those who might have use for such a device.

What I claim is:

l. A knockdown table and seats, comprising a supporting'frame having spaced parallel members each with an inverted U-shaped portion of less lateral extent projecting upwardly from the middle part thereof, removable legs for attachment to the ends of said parallel members, table seats adapted to rest upon the end portions of said parallel members, a table top adapted to rest upon said inverted U-shaped portions, the side legs of said inverted U-shaped portions being inset towards each other so as to afford greater space at the sides thereof for accommodating the legs when placed to the sides thereof in knocked down condition within a container.

2. A knockdown combination of table and seats, comprising a supporting frame having spaced parallel members each with an inverted U-shaped portion of less lateral extent projecting upwardly from the middle part thereof, removable legs for attachment to the ends of said parallel members, table seats adapted to rest upon the end portions of said parallel members, a table top adapted to rest upon said inverted U-shaped portions, said legs being of inverted T-shape, said table top being in the form of a separate two-part flanged container adapted to be inverted for use as a table top, the flanges of said table top-container being adapted for engagement with the laterally extending ends of said inverted U- shaped portions, the side legs of said inverted U-shaped portions being inset towards each other so as to afford greater space at the sides thereof for accommodating the legs when placed at the sides thereof in knocked down condition within the container.

3. A knockdown combination table and seats, comprising a supporting frame having spaced parallel members each with a parallel portion spaced thereabove for supporting the table top and having means of attachment to its said member, removable legs for attachment to the ends of said parallel members, table seats adapted to rest upon the end portions of said parallel members, a table top adapted to rest upon said parallel portions, said means of attachment being inset from the ends of said table top-supporting portions so as to afford space at the sides of said means of attachment for accommodating the legs when placed to the sides thereof in knocked-down condition.

4. A knockdown combination of table and seats. comprising a two-part flanged container adapted to serve as a table top when in inverted, open condition, a pair of frame members for supporting the seats upon the end portions thereof, each having a table top-supporting portion attached in parallel spaced relation thereto and there" above, said pair of frame members and seats being stored lengthwise in layers within said container, T-shaped supports adapted to be attached removably to the ends of said pairs of frame members and having their head portions extending transversely within the end portions of the container, the means of attachment for said table top-supporting portions being inset from the ends thereof so as to aiford suitable space at the sides thereof for accommodating the leg portion of said T-shaped supports at the sides thereof in knocked-down condition within the container.

JOHN C. LA RUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 47,897 Ruggles Sept. 28, 1915 1,377,860 Thomas May 10, 1921 1,952,737 Vaghi Mar. 27, 1934 2,362,567 La Rue Nov. 14, 1944 

